"It just feels like you're getting slugged over and over again": Frank Pazmino fills up his tank. Photo: Chris Pearce

He doesn't stop at the first service station he sees. He always waits for the low point in the price cycle. And he never, ever drives around with a full tank – "that's like having a kid in your car so the weight makes you use more petrol".

But the Centennial Park resident rushed to fill up on Tuesday after the federal government announced its plan to increase tax on fuel from next month.

"That's why I am here filling up now. I just heard prices are going up next month. I am trying to save myself a bit of coin," Mr Pazmino said.

"I use my car every single day to commute. It just feels like you're getting slugged over and over again".

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Finance Minister Mathias Cormann announced on Tuesday that the fuel excise would be raised from November 10. A majority in the Senate oppose an increase in fuel excise.

He said the government would increase the tax through a "tariff proposal" which allows the government to raise taxes before they are legislated.

It is expected to raise the government $2.2 billion over four years. From 10 November, the rate of fuel duty will increase from 38.143 cents per litre to 38.6 cents per litre.

Labor, the Greens and the Palmer United Party are opposed to increasing the tax on petrol and the government has not attempted to introduce the measure into the Senate because it would be defeated.

The tariff proposals will be tabled in the House of Representatives this week. Parliament will be given 12 months to validate the increased fuel tax.

Senator Cormann said he was confident of Parliament passing the bills within a year and warned that if it failed, the revenue would be returned to the oil giants and not motorists.

Liechhardt resident John Arthurs, who was filling up at the same Haberfield petrol station, was less worried about rising petrol prices.

The government has estimated that a 50 litre tank of fuel will cost about 40 cents more once the rate of fuel duty is increased.

"The tax should be in place. The government's got to cut down debt and it has to start somewhere," Mr Arthurs, who spends about $100 a week on petrol, said.

David Wells, of Greystanes, said if he spent time worrying about petrol prices "he would go home and cry every day".

He uses gas in one of his cars and said it was a far cheaper alternative to fuel.

"I am not worried. I don't even look at the price anymore, just find a petrol station and fill up," Mr Wells said.

The owner of service station group Speedway Petroleum, Elia El-Khoury, described the tax as a "highway robbery".

"It is robbing the public. Whatever the cost is we pass it on. The taxes on everything is becoming ridiculous. It has to stop. They have made enough," Mr El-Khoury said.

"It is going to be huge for us. We are already one of the countries with the highest petrol prices. This is just making it harder and harder".

At least Mr Pazmino has one final plan up his sleeve to cut back on petrol costs. He has invested in a scooter – and he plans to start using it a lot more.